Today’s article is a comparison between two super vertical vacuum cleaners from Dyson, Dyson Slim Ball Animal vs Animal 3. After a while of testing both of these products, I found that Dyson Ball Animal 3 has superior performance.
Dyson Slim Ball Animal is best suited for bare floors and low-pile carpets. The Ball technology allows users to navigate the machine around furniture smoothly. If you are looking for a compact machine with strong suction power, this machine is a pretty good choice.
Dyson Ball Animal 3 possesses completely different improvements from its brothers. The cleaner head is designed to be much better for picking up larger debris as well as rolling smoothly on thick carpets. Besides, it also has the perfect anti-tangle ability, making it a suitable choice for pet owners.
Dyson Slim Ball Animal vs Animal 3: Comparison Chart
Dyson Slim Ball Animal vs Animal 3: Differences
After weighing the differences between both machines, I conclude that Dyson Ball Animal 3 wins 2:0 and ties 1 against Dyson Slim Ball Animal thanks to its cleaning performance and convenience. Read the breakdown below to learn more about the details.
Cleaning performance
The winner: Dyson Ball Animal 3
Compatible floor type
From my experience, I find Dyson Ball Animal 3 does a better job than Dyson Slim Ball Animal on both hard floors and carpets.
With the Dyson Slim Ball, the cleaner head is designed with an automatic height adjustment feature. There is a baseplate at the bottom that can move up and down based on certain surfaces, so when you have it on the floor, it will automatically alter the height to every floor type. This design also allows you to have the cleaner head as close to the floor as possible and keep an optimal seal from the surface to the head. Thanks to that, the suction power is preserved to the maximum, and the dirt is really sucked up.
As a self-regulating cleaner head, it will have limitations. Through my tests, the Slim Ball Animal performed best on hard floors and low-pile carpets. When on medium- and high-pile carpets, its mobility decreases gradually. Due to the strong suction, the machine tends to suck on the carpet, so pushing it away on thick carpets is difficult. In addition, I also find this Slim Ball Animal best suited for picking up dirt and small debris. It struggles with large debris such as full-size Froot Loops and cat food.
As for Dyson Ball Animal 3, the cleaner head design is completely improved compared to previous versions. Firstly, the new nozzle has a smaller cleaning path width, so it wriggles better in tight spaces. Second, the new cleaner head includes adjustable gates at the front, which make it so much better for picking up larger debris on both hard floors and carpets. I don’t need to use the wand to pick up things like coffee beans, popcorn, or full-size Froot Loops because the main nozzle can handle all of them.
I really love the Animal 3’s adjustable gates. In previous models, moving a 17-pound machine with massive suction on thick carpets really hurt my shoulders, but with Dyson Ball Animal 3, everything has been solved. There are 3 settings for you to customize the gates. With the highest setting, you won’t have to put much effort into pushing and pulling the machine anymore; every move is light and smooth. If you have ground in dirt on carpets or want to clean hard floors only, you can select the lowest setting where it will bog down and be very hard if you push it on dense carpets.
Another point that makes the difference between these two machines is the brush bar. While the Slim Ball Animal comes with a normal stiff bristle roller, the Animal 3 offers a thicker and denser nylon bristle brush roll. This allows the Animal 3 to clean the floor more gently and thoroughly.
Pet hair performance
When it comes to cleaning pet hair, the Dyson Ball Animal 3 continues to be dominant.
The Ball Animal 3 can move well on many different types of surfaces, and its suction is also rather strong, so picking up fur is not a problem. Moreover, its cleaner head also has a big upgrade to resist tangles. The active hair removal system is designed with vanes to comb out the hair that is sucked in automatically. Thus, you do not need to remove tangled hair wrapped around the roller every time you finish using the vacuum cleaner.
Meanwhile, the Slim Ball Animal, although picking up fur is relatively good, it is not resistant to tangles. As a result, after each use, there is a lot of long hair and fur that wrap around the brush bar, and they need to be cleaned manually. Fortunately, the brush bar on Dyson Slim Ball Animal is designed to be easily accessible and disassembled when needed, so cleaning it won’t take much time. All the instructions to clean the brush are in the manual, so ensure that you read it carefully.
Suction strength
Regarding suction strength, Dyson Ball Animal 3 is much stronger. In the boost mode, its suction power is about 290 AW, while Dyson Slim Ball Animal’s power is about 200 AW. For those who don’t know, Airwatt (AW) measures the efficiency of a vacuum cleaner in relation to the airflow and amount of power the vacuum cleaner produces and uses. Simply put, the larger the Airwatt, the stronger the suction power of the machine.
With the Dyson Ball Animal 3, the airflow that I can measure at the hose is 84 CFM (CFM is a unit used to measure the amount of air being transported or exchanged in 1 minute). Compared with many other upright vacuums that I have experienced, such a level is above average and fairly great.
There is a point that I think many people will wonder, when vacuuming with the gates all open, will the suction power be much reduced? The answer is “No.” The fact is that even with all of the gates open, the Animal 3’s suction is comparable to that of the Animal 2’s in its normal state.
Dirt bin and filtration
Tie
Dirt bin
These machines use a hygienic bin to store dirt and debris. The bin is made from clear plastic allowing users to see everything inside easily. The bin is also home to a cyclone system that contributes to optimizing the suction and keeping dirt and allergens in. Therefore, you need to empty the bin as soon as the dirt reaches the MAX level. Don’t overfill the bin since the dirt above the MAX line may affect the performance and require washing filters more frequently.
Empty the dirt bin is easy with the one-touch system. First, make sure you have turned off and unplugged your machine. Then, press the button on the bin handle to detach the dirt bin from the unit. Hold your bin over a trash can, push the button on the bin handle firmly until the bin base opens, and all the dirt will fall out.
In the process of emptying, the dirt often gets stuck to the baffles at the bottom of the bin, so you need to pay attention to cleaning those places regularly. Besides, you also need to pay attention not to let the cyclone get dirt because this will reduce the suction power.
Radial Root™ Cyclone technology
These two vacuum cleaners are all equipped with Radial Root Cyclone™ technology. By generating forces much stronger than gravity, these systems can create cyclones with strong centrifugal forces to separate air molecules from dust particles. By doing so, all dirt is trapped in the dirt bin, and only cleaner air passes through the vacuum. Additionally, this technology allows the user to have strong and consistent suction with each use.
Filtration
Both machines share the same filtration system. These systems are guaranteed to be allergy-friendly, with the ability to filter 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns in the air, such as dust, pollen, mold, bacteria, and more. Each filtration system comes with two filters, one inside the dirt bin and one inside the “ball.” All filters are washable and reusable, so there’s no cost for you to maintain and replace them.
The filter inside the dirt bin is the pre-motor filter. To wash this filter, push up the catch on the front of the bin handle and lift out the filter. Remember that you should only rinse the filter with cold water and let it dry for at least 24 hours before putting it back into the vacuum.
The filter inside the ball is the post-motor filter. To remove it, you need to lay your machine on its side with the filter cover facing upward. Turn the lock in the center of the ball until the filter cover is released, twist the filter counter-clockwise until it is released, and lift it off your machine. Cleaning this filter is similar to how you do with the pre-motor filter. To better understand step-by-step, please read the manual carefully.
Design and convenience
The winner: Dyson Ball Animal 3
Maneuverability
Both machines are pretty easy to maneuver.
In terms of size, Dyson Ball Animal 3 has a smaller width, while Dyson Slim Ball Animal is shorter. Overall, both are relatively compact and take up only very small spaces in my bedroom.
In terms of weight, the Dyson Slim Ball Animal is about 2 pounds lighter than the Dyson Ball Animal 3. Therefore, carrying the Slim Ball around the house or transferring between rooms is easier.
Both machines feature Ball™ technology, which is ergonomically designed for more comfortable vacuuming. It may take some time at first to get used to the movement of the “ball,” but once you get used to it, you’ll see the benefits of this design. The “ball” allows the locomotive to rotate flexibly, thereby easily wriggling between furniture. With the Dyson Ball Animal 3, the cleaner head is smaller, so the machine gets into smaller nooks and crannies than previous models.
Range
In this aspect, Dyson Ball Animal 3 has the larger cleaning reach.
The Ball Animal 3 has a 35-foot power cord, which is longer than most previous models and long enough to clean the entire first floor of my house without changing the outlet. Its hose is also very long, up to 15 feet, providing a relatively large reach. When cleaning stairs, you just need to keep the vacuum at the bottom of the stairs and clean each step right up to the top. Rest assured that the unit won’t tip over when you reach the top of the stairs since it has quite a heavy weight and a sturdy footprint.
Despite having a smaller cleaning range, the Slim Ball Animal is still at a good level overall. Its maximum reach is about 40 feet with a 24.5-foot power cord.
As for the cleaning path width, the Dyson Slim Ball Animal has a larger path, about 13.4 inches. Meanwhile, the cleaner head of Dyson Ball Animal 3 is redesigned and becomes smaller, so the cleaning path width is also smaller.
Noise level
In terms of noise levels, Dyson Ball Animal 3 is less noisy than Dyson Slim Ball Animal.
The Ball Animal 3 is quieter than I thought. Its noise level is around 75 dB. Compared with other upright vacuum cleaners, this level is average. However, it’s not the kind you can talk about on the phone in the same room when someone uses this vacuum cleaner.
Even so, compared to Dyson Slim Ball Animal, the Ball Animal 3 is quieter. The noise level of the Slim Ball Animal is around 80 dB, which is comparable to the noise of a busy downtown street. This is a fairly loud level; if you are exposed to this level of noise for more than 8 hours a day, it will harm your hearing.
Quick Rundown Of Dyson Ball Animal 3
- Removes dirt, allergens and pet hair around your home. Easily tackles big messes.
- Automatically clears wrapped hair from the brush bar as you clean.
- Navigate around obstacles with a simple turn of the wrist. For easy, precise maneuvering around your home.
- Select the right cleaning mode for the right task. Optimized for a variety of floor types, for complete control over your clean.
- Stair tool and combination tool
Quick Rundown Of Dyson Slim Ball Animal
- Self-adjusting cleaner head automatically raises and lowers to seal in suction across all floor types.
- Instant-release wand and long-reach hose release in one smooth action, so it’s easy to clean up high and under furniture.
- Ball technology allows you to steer with a turn of the wrist to maneuver easily around furniture and obstacles and into difficult places.
- Four Dyson-engineered accessories in the box: Combination tool, Stair tool, Tangle-free turbine tool, and Multi-angle brush.
- 0.4-gallon bin capacity.
Product Videos
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References:
- Dyson Ball Animal 3: https://www.dyson.com/vacuum-cleaners/uprights/ball-animal-3/nickel
- Dyson Slim Ball Animal: https://www.dysoncanada.ca/en/vacuum-cleaners/uprights/ball/multi-floor-slim
Victor K. Giles is a leading consultant and expert in vacuum cleaner technology with over a decade of experience. As a mechanical engineering graduate in the University of Michigan, he specializes in product development, design optimization, and performance analysis. Victor collaborates with manufacturers and educates consumers, making her a sought-after guest speaker at industry events. His work has been featured in renowned publications, and he shares his expertise on his blog, “The Vacuum Teria”. Victor’s passion for cleaner, healthier living spaces drives his to help clients choose the best vacuum solutions for their needs.